MARCEL TYBERG: MASS NO.1 IN G MAJOR; MASS NO.2 IN F MAJOR

Born in Vienna in 1893, Marcel Tyberg suffered
the same fate of many of his compatriots in
being put to death in Auschwitz in 1944. The
excellent South Dakota Chorale and conductor
Brian A. Schmidt must be congratulated on
recording this piece of musical history from the
composer’s
surviving music. Tyberg’s musical background is
sketchy but he
was obviously well known in his community and
also when he
moved to Croatia with his mother. The G major
Mass, written in
1934 for choir and organ, is in romantic style,
but lacks cohesion
and the organ writing is tentative. The F major
Mass, written
seven years later, is a more authoritative work,
the composer’s
writing having gained in maturity.